By 2020, the amount of information in the U.S. economy is expected to
grow by 44 times – and yet executives admit they are unprepared to take
full advantage of big data and cloud computing. Concepts in the Cloud
draws from Booz Allen’s work helping private and public sector
organizations move beyond traditional techniques that stovepipe data to
new, more holistic ways of viewing data that unlock business-driving
insights.

“Booz Allen’s approach to the cloud – whether it be how we draw the
greatest value from data, or how we evaluate the business case – was
developed as a result of ongoing collaboration with the U.S. government
and constantly evolves and adapts as we uncover new trends and insights
in big data,” said Booz Allen executive vice president Mark Herman. “Our Concepts
in the Cloud series will help senior leaders understand this and the
holistic approach that’s needed to derive the greatest value from the
influx of data – to move to that highest level of advanced analytics.”

Unlock New Insights: About “Delivering on the Promise of Big Data and
the Cloud”

To open up the tremendous potential buried in the avalanche of data,
Booz Allen has developed the Cloud Analytics Reference Architecture.
Today, organizations are forced to make decisions based on limited
access to information. But this approach – rooted in a mindset change –
opens new avenues for analytics that lead to critical, mission-enabling
insights.

By removing constraints of conventional techniques that lock data and
analytics into stovepipes, analysts can ask more intuitive questions,
search for unexpected data patterns and focus more on human insight and
action. The Architecture:

Removes the constraints created by data siloes

Allows organizations to “experiment” more with the data, and to ask
more intuitive questions

Enables people to focus on creating value by letting computers take
over much of the work done now

Ensures subject matter experts can explore the data

Look before You Leap: About “Delivering on the Promise of Big Data
and the Cloud”

Understanding the true business case of transitioning to the cloud
requires paying careful attention to cost, productivity benefits and
return on investment. A rigorous, systematic analysis of the return on
investment of cloud solutions before signing on to a preferred system
will give agency leaders a clearer picture of the costs and benefits of
moving to the cloud. In fact, a move based on cost savings alone rarely
yields a positive return on investment. This analysis must cover:

Cost considerations: these transition costs include how quickly
agencies can close out legacy architecture and shift software and
applications, as well as the extent to which data storage facilities
and the IT workforce can be repurposed or retrained once the cloud has
been introduced.

Potential productivity benefits: productivity gains across disparate
activities can be difficult to pin down, and even tougher to ascribe
to a single investment. Including the potential for productivity gains
in a calculation of return on investment begins with a study of
current costs, analyzing whether or how those costs can be permanently
reduced once in-house data management is replaced by a cloud system.

The biggest benefit of moving to the cloud comes from creating
efficiencies within the organization once data is more universally and
readily accessible. Rich rewards are available when leaders study the
business case upfront; down the line, organizations will enjoy
meaningful productivity gains as the cloud helps to reorganize work
processes.

Also forthcoming in series:

New Ways of Managing Big Data in the “Data Lake”: This
effective and efficient way to load, store and access multiple data
sources results in more expansive access to data, while providing a
new way to manage data.

Enabling Cloud Analytics with Data-Level Security

Empowering the Government’s Digital Enterprise

Leaders from across Booz Allen with expertise in cloud technology, cloud
analytics, cyber security, and data management have authored these Concepts
in the Cloud perspectives. More information is available here.

Booz Allen Hamilton is a leading provider of management and technology
consulting services to the U.S. government in defense, intelligence, and
civil markets, and to major corporations, institutions, and
not-for-profit organizations. Booz Allen is headquartered in McLean,
Virginia, employs approximately 25,000 people, and had revenue of $5.86
billion for the 12 months ended March 31, 2012.

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